Pope John Paul II Academy Set to Acquire Historic De La Salle Property

The New Orleans-Santa Fe District of the De La Salle Brothers of the
Christian Schools have announced a formal agreement with Pope John Paul
II Academy for the school to acquire a portion of their Magnolia
Property on Carmel Drive.

The option agreement between the Brothers and the Academy bears
historical significance for two communities dedicated to the mission of
Catholic education. A year after the founding of the Diocese of
Lafayette in 1918, the Christian Brothers arrived in Lafayette, and have
been an important presence in Catholic education in the diocese since.

Pope John Paul II Academy, a Grades PK3-12 private Catholic school
founded in 2007, is grateful for the privilege to continue the Brothers'
tradition of service to the Church and local community. ³The educational
vision of both St. John Baptist de La Salle, the founder of this
religious order, and Pope John Paul II, who were so deeply connected
with young people, will now be honored on land that has been part of the
heartbeat of Catholic education for the better part of a century,² said
Dr. Kevin Roberts, founder and headmaster of Pope John Paul II Academy.
³Our plan to occupy a portion of this property allows us to enhance our
unique model of classical education while also facilitating an important
transition for the Brothers."

The Provincial for the Brothers of the Christian Schools for the New
Orleans-Santa Fe Province, Brother Timothy Coldwell, FSC, remarks, "The
Christian Brothers very much desire to remain in Lafayette and will
maintain our community and headquarters at De La Salle. We have reached
a mutually beneficial agreement with Pope John Paul II Academy that
empowers them to grow while allowing us to maintain our community and
ministry in Lafayette."

On the forty-acre property, Pope John Paul II Academy will renovate the
current buildings for classrooms, labs, libraries, and other rooms. The
renovation process will take several years and students are expected to
start using the classrooms as early as this fall. Further, this will
allow the school to expand to include single gender classes, as well as
to house a small community of nuns, the Preachers of Christ and Mary,
who will be part of the school faculty.

In reflecting on the unique opportunity the school has before it,
Roberts commented, "Considering that our patron, Pope John Paul II, will
be beatified this year, we are ecstatic about our plans to enhance the
presence of the Christian Brothers on the Magnolia site. Our vision for
that property originates with the Holy Father's very premise of the New
Evangelization -- that is, being unabashed, joyful Christian witnesses
in a world desperate for the light of the Truth."

For more information about the Brothers, visit www.cbnosf.org. For more
information about Pope John Paul II Academy, visit www.pjpa.org.